Chapter 3: Come With Me
The two returned to the private room one after the other, once again stirring up a group of classmates cheering, but that was about it.
Han Yixuan hung her head low, her reddened eyes still showing quite a bit of grievance. Wang Heng’s expression was calm, so calm it was even a bit gloomy. Seeing this, the people cheering gradually quieted down.
“So, how’d it go? Did she confess to you?”
Xiao Renjian pulled Wang Heng to sit down and asked in a low but eager voice.
Wang Heng nodded and glanced over at Han Yixuan. He saw two girls surrounding her, seemingly asking all sorts of questions…
Xiao Renjian asked again: “So what exactly happened? You two seem a bit off.”
“Yeah, because I refused.”
Wang Heng’s tone was very indifferent, but Xiao Renjian was different. He almost cried out.
“Why!”
“Why so many whys?” Wang Heng couldn’t help but feel a bit impatient. “Didn’t I say it long ago? I’m not interested in that kind of thing. It’s that simple.”
Xiao Renjian raised an eyebrow and lowered his head to eat. The other classmates had long since shifted their attention elsewhere.
The enthusiasm of the young boys and girls came fast and went fast too. The matter between Wang Heng and Han Yixuan was soon thrown to the back of their minds, as everyone chatted in twos and threes about their own topics.
Nearly an hour later, the teacher appreciation banquet ended.
The most active few classmates shouted about going to KTV, while Wang Heng planned to head straight home. However, he didn’t expect to be stopped at the restaurant doorway.
The ones blocking the way were three girls: Han Yixuan and her two best friends.
From the expressions of these three girls, it was clear Han Yixuan didn’t want to make trouble, but her two best friends were very eager to stand up for justice. The two of them flanked the dejected young girl, firmly blocking the path in front of Wang Heng.
The one on the left questioned: “What’s wrong with our Xiao Xuan? Where is she not good enough for you?”
Hearing such a question, Wang Heng calmly countered: “Did she tell you why I refused?”
The one on the right crossed her arms over her chest and sneered: “She said you were talking nonsense.”
“Nonsense… Leaving aside my reasons, let me ask you: dating should be a matter for two people, right? Just the two involved, right?”
“That’s true, but—”
Wang Heng waved and interrupted: “There’s no right or wrong in feelings. Refusing a confession might be because one is serious and doesn’t want to be too frivolous. Agreeing, on the other hand, might not be because of liking at all, just wanting to play around. There are only two choices, but the reasons behind them could be many. So don’t think too simply. I absolutely wouldn’t think Classmate Han Yixuan isn’t good enough for me. On the contrary, I feel like I’m a bit not good enough for her.”
“You…”
“In short, romance is a matter for two people. I can understand your good intentions, but good intentions don’t always lead to good results. For example, suppose I’m actually a scumbag. After Classmate Han Yixuan starts a relationship with me, she discovers I was two-timing. Then wouldn’t pushing us together be throwing her into the fire?”
Wang Heng spoke unhurriedly, with clear enunciation and logical structure in every sentence. As a result, this speech left the two girls, who had been aggressive, not knowing how to respond.
Han Yixuan stared at him and asked softly: “Are you that kind of person? A scumbag who two-times?”
“To be honest, I don’t know. Was Wang Mang set on usurping the throne in his youth? Did the Führer seem particularly evil in school? No one can say before it happens. You can think I’m talking nonsense, but I just want to tell you: it’s not because your charm isn’t enough or anything. I simply don’t want to date, that’s all.”
After all, the memory of being lovers with this girl was still in his mind, so Wang Heng really couldn’t bear to say anything more hurtful.
Or rather, if he really could be that ruthless, he wouldn’t have fallen into that asura field in his previous life…
Han Yixuan bit her lower lip, gazed at him, and asked: “Then have you ever liked me?”
Meeting the young girl’s gaze, Wang Heng couldn’t help but feel a headache. Before, the most troublesome thing for him was this: a girl’s tearful eyes gazing over, full of resentment and unwillingness—it was really the worst.
Wang Heng sighed: “How about this: can you come with me for a bit? I have some words I want to say to you alone.”
Then Han Yixuan followed Wang Heng.
Her two best friends couldn’t follow anymore and just stood there watching their backs.
Suddenly, one of them complained: “Why do I feel like Wang Heng has a really high level?”
“What level? Dating level?”
“Yeah, don’t you think? The way he talks feels just like an emotional mentor… Has this guy really never dated? Why do I feel like he’s dated a bunch already?”
“You’re overthinking it. How could that be?” the other mocked. “Couldn’t you tell in three years of high school? He’s a pure otaku! Sure, he looks decent, but aside from appearance, how’s he any different from a deadbeat otaku like Xiao Renjian?”
“Is that so…”
“Definitely. Don’t go by how he was just now. When he’s alone with Xiao Xuan, hmph, his silver tongue will definitely falter!”
————
After silently walking quite a distance, Han Yixuan finally couldn’t hold back and asked: “Where are you going?”
Wang Heng didn’t stop walking or turn his head, answering: “Bringing you to my home.”
“What?”
“No joke, for real. But no need to go inside. Right at the front door is fine.”
The young girl followed in a daze, walking another ten or so minutes until they reached the place where Wang Heng lived.
It was a rather rundown residential community. No green could be seen in the green belt, the tiles underfoot were almost all cracked, and the wall plaster had long peeled off, exposing the original brick color.
Wang Heng brought her to sit on a bench. Luckily, though the bench was missing a few nails, it was at least still sitable.
“To be honest, in these three years of high school, the classmate I paid the most attention to was you. You ask if I’ve liked you… It should be said it’s not just liking—it was a crush.”
As he said this, Wang Heng recalled memories of high school. The deepest impression was naturally Han Yixuan. He remembered many times pretending to be nonchalant while stealing glances at her, only to meet her gaze. The two would smile at each other for two seconds, nod, and then almost simultaneously look away.
During breaks, before class, after school—such scenes repeated so many times he couldn’t count. And that’s exactly why Han Yixuan had the confidence to confess.
The young girl said tremulously: “Then why…”
“But the worst is meeting the right person at the wrong age.” Wang Heng pointed at the rundown residential building in front of them. “See that? The one on the fourth floor without the anti-theft bar—that’s my home. We don’t need an anti-theft bar at our place; thieves wouldn’t find anything valuable anyway. My dad is just an ordinary staff member with average salary, and he’s been divorced from my mom for a long time. This house was bought a few years ago, a second-hand one, not expensive. But with my dad’s single salary having to support me and pay the mortgage, it’s very tough.”
Han Yixuan blinked, seeming to somewhat understand.
Wang Heng: “So you get it now, right? Whether I want to or not, I can’t date, and I don’t have the mind for it.”
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